Mary – Model of Contemplative Prayer

Contemplative Prayer and Mary

– Answered by Father Johann Roten, S.M.

Q: Why is Mary a model of contemplative prayer?

A: Mary is a model of contemplative prayer specifically because of her pondering (presentation and twelve-year-old Jesus in the Temple), meaning: assimilating events of her life -- which happened to be important events of salvation history -- examining them in her heart, seat of the whole person, in order to understand their deep meaning in themselves and for her life, and translating them practically as expression of God's plan of salvation. Marian contemplative prayer involves:

1) Taking seriously the occurrences of human life; they are worthy of my serious consideration, thus avoiding superficiality and sensationalism.

2) Giving them thorough attention of intellect, will and affective power.

3) Reading them in the perspective of the God-human relationship.

4) Maturing them in our soul through patient and loving pondering until God's will for us becomes clear and evident, or at least pointing in a given direction.

5) Evaluating the moral implications and consequences of this process of contemplating.